474 lviii. lythrace^ (hiern). [Nescea. 



very short lid and longitudinally by 4 short valves below this lid. 

 Seeds subdiscoidal, concave on one side, convex on the other. 



Lower Guinea. Angola, Pungo Andongo, fl. and fr. March and April, Dr. 

 Weluritsch I 

 Grows in marshy places, by rivers or cool springs. 



8. N. radicans, Guill. et Perr. Fl. Seneg. 306, t. 70. Glabrous or 

 nearly so. Stem decumbent, rooting and aquatic at base, or in drier 

 places suberect, slender, varying in length up to 4 ft. Leaves opposite, 

 elliptic or obovate-lanceolate, rounded pointed or acute at apex, rounded 

 or narrowed at base, shortly stalked or subsessile, 1-2 in. long. Inter- 

 nodes equal to or exceeding the leaves. Flowers capitate, shortly 



{>edicelled, 5- or 6-parted. Peduncles in well-developed specimens 

 onger than the leaves, as long as or longer than the internodes, slender. 

 Heads usually with 3, sometimes 2, broadly cordate venose imbri- 

 cated bracts and linear-acute bracteoles. Bracteoles 1-veined, gla- 

 brous, with scarious margins. Calyx 10- or 12-veined, glabrous , 

 cornua longer than lobes, ciliate at least at apex. Petals as long as 

 calyx, rose-coloured, very fugacious. Stamens twice as many as 

 calyx-lobes, inserted at same level near bottom of calyx-tube, those 

 opposite the calyx-lobes rather the longer, all exceeding the calyx. 

 Ovary 2- or 3-celled, included in the calyx-tube ; style long ; stigma 

 small, capitate or punctiform. 



Upper Guinea. Senegal, Perrottet! fl. from October to March. 

 Lower Guinea. Angola, Mossamedes, fl. July, Dr.Welwitschl 

 Grows by river banks or in marshes. 



9. N. floribunda, Sond. Fl. Cap. ii. 517. Stem and branches 

 patently pubescent or subglabrous, subterete, 1-2 ft. high, or in dry 

 places from 2 in. high upwards. Leaves elliptic, blunt or pointed at 

 apex, narrowed or rounded but not cordate at base, sessile, opposite, 

 with appressed pubescence or subglabrous, 1—2 J in. long, or in small 

 plants from \ in. long. Peduncles shorter than leaves and internodes, 

 J-f in. long. Capitula solitary, having 2 opposite imbricated broadly 

 ovate subcordate bracts at base ; bracteoles oblong or linear, ciliated. 

 Calyx with glabrous tube except at top and 4-7 short deltoid pubes- 

 cent lobes and as many erect longer ciliate cornua. Petals as many 

 as calyx-lobes, caducous, purple (?), shorter than calyx. Stamens as 

 many or twice as many as calyx-lobes, arising from some level at about 

 middle of interior of calyx-tube. Ovary 3- or 4-celled. Capsule 3- or 

 4-valved, dehiscing septifragally at apex ; placenta ovoid or com- 

 pressed, thick, lobed. 



Mozamb. Distr. Zanzibar! 

 South Central. Victoria Falls, Dr. Kirk! 



Lower Guinea. Angola, Mossamedes (small plant in flower in August! Dr. 

 Welwitsch ! 

 This species occurs also in South Africa. Grows in sandy places by river banks. 



10. N. erecta, Guill. et Perr. Fl. Seneg. 305. Erect or ascending, 

 subglabrous, with quadrangular stem and branches, 2^-10 in. high. 



